fiji , samoa , and new caledonia . this fact was not known by the allies at the time , and the australian military was greatly expanded to meet the threat of invasion . large numbers of united states army and army air forces units arrived in australia in early 1942 , and the australian military was placed under the overall command of general douglas macarthur in march . australians played a central role in the new guinea campaign during 1942 and 1943 . after an attempt to land troops at port more ##sby was defeated in the battle of the coral sea , the japanese attempted to capture the strategically important town by advancing overland across the owen stanley ranges and milne bay . australian army units
fiji, samoa, and new caledonia. this fact was not known by the allies at the time, and the australian military was greatly expanded to meet the threat of invasion. large numbers of united states army and army air forces units arrived in australia in early 1942, and the australian military was placed under the overall command of general douglas macarthur in march. australians played a central role in the new guinea campaign during 1942 and 1943. after an attempt to land troops at port moresby was defeated in the battle of the coral sea, the japanese attempted to capture the strategically important town by advancing overland across the owen stanley ranges and milne bay. australian army units